Luna came to see me every day and stayed for several hours reading in a chair, oblivious to our light conversation.
“What are you reading?” Josephine asked her.
“A book for my thesis.”
“And what’s your thesis on?”
“The educational system invented by Rudolf Steiner.”
“And who is Rudolf Steiner? I’ve heard that name, but I know nothing about him.”
“A genius of sorts, but hard to define. He was a philosopher, pedagogue, esoteric, architect, farmer, doctor, and the founder of anthroposophy, biodynamic agriculture, eurythmy, Steinerian education, and Weleda products. Does that fill you in?”
“And you, Christiane, do you know him? I never read anything by him.”
“Well, yes, by chance I do in fact, though I think in France not many people have heard of him, perhaps because he was Austrian.”
“So what? Mozart was Austrian too.”
“But in Steiner’s day we weren’t crazy about Germanic culture.”
“And so how do you happen to know him?”
“Because I had an aunt who was a follower of his.”
“By the way, Mamie, you have to explain something to me.”
“What’s that, dear?”
“Why did you tell me that Papyrus went to the Goetheanum, and later you told me that the only time he met Steiner was at the Munich lecture?”
“Because I didn’t know whether to tell you what happened after.”
“And why wouldn’t you?”
“First because it’s upsetting and second because it would reveal secrets that don’t belong to me.”
“And these secrets, they’re still alive?”
“The secrets are still secret, yes, because I’m the only one who knows them. Those involved are all dead.”
“And you’re bound by some oath?”
“No.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“So we’ll see.”
“You know, about esotericism,” interjected Josephine, “when I went to Indonesia, I saw the craziest thing.”
“Oh really? What?” asked Luna.
“I saw with my own eyes a witch doctor remove a cyst from the shoulder of a man without using a knife!”
“What do you mean without a knife?”
“You might not believe me but the witch doctor was in a trance and the patient was sweating profusely like a sick person. The witch doctor placed his thumb on the cyst and moved it up and down and down and up, like that, and the cyst disappeared. I never understood how he did it.”
“Well, I can see why you two get along so well!” Catherine chimed in with a knowing glance at Josephine and myself.
“Do you mean because we both have wild imaginations?”
“Well, let’s say vivid imaginations.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” asked Josephine, sincerely surprised. “I saw it happen and so did lots of other people. I’m not saying it’s true, I’m telling you what I saw and that none of us could figure out how it had happened. Imagination has nothing to do with it. The power of suggestion, perhaps, but still it’s super interesting.”
“Well, to come back to our Steiner story, Mamie, I’d really like you to tell me what happened at the Goetheanum.”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“But what’s the problem?”
“Listen, you know I’m not the overly sensitive type, but really, I’m not thrilled about telling you things that I know you’re not going to believe.”
“But if you tell the truth, we’ll believe you,” said Catherine.
“I’d be surprised.”
“But me, I always believe you,” said Luna. “You see things that others don’t notice, that’s all.”
“Thank you dear, but you’re just saying that to butter me up.”
“No I mean it. Mom, it’s true!” she said, turning to Catherine. “If you saw a pink elephant, you would say, ‘What is that elephant doing in the garden?’ and then later if someone said there was a pink elephant in the garden, you’d answer, ‘What do you mean pink? Pink elephants don’t exist!’”
“Yes, well, there your mother would be right. There are no pink elephants,” said Josephine.
“Thank you, Josephine, for coming to my defense. I’m beginning to believe your story of the operation with no knife,” added Catherine smiling.
“You’re pretty when you smile, you know.”
Chapter Fourteen
Bette had made friends with a Russian anthroposophist she met in Paris in 1920. The woman in question, Princess Natasha Bolinkova, was a distant cousin of the Czar who had fled the 1917 revolution in Russia. After the Munich lecture, Bette returned to Paris, where she spent the fall. Geoffroy joined her there as soon as he was able to. Papyrus was also in Paris with them sometimes, but he had begun courting my mother and therefore spent more time in Picardy.
For the Louvenel family, it was out of the question to allow Marguerite to go and spend time in Paris with her suitor, even with Bette as chaperone.
Papyrus probably set about modeling a more orderly life so as to merit his pious and orderly future spouse, but something tells me he must have found the process rather oppressive from the very beginning. I’m convinced that he went off to Paris now and then with the same eagerness for oxygen as someone coming up for air from the bottom of a deep swimming pool.
Bette’s novel ways and her obsession with Steinerism must have been an exotic and amusing distraction from the psychological straitjacket of the Picardy aristocracy. Marguerite’s idea of love was as romantic and idealistic as Papyrus was disenchanted and wounded underneath his boastful, gay exterior. He nevertheless did his best to go along at least partially with this romantic idyll that she seemed intent on living out. It was the biggest mistake of their lives.
The prevailing culture of the time favored my mother’s view of things, and that is probably why he did everything he could to contain his demons without ever confronting them directly. He made no attempt to understand them and thereby control them. He simply pushed them down, as they yelled and shook their fists, into the cellar of his soul, and tried to cover over with good intentions all the vociferation and pestilence of his deepest anxieties.
One day in September, Bette, Geoffroy, and Papyrus met up in Paris.
Geoffroy and Papyrus were living as usual in the home of their aunt Gertrude, the mother of Cousin Vincent. She was rich and shameless but very lively and generous. She adored her nephews and detested any kind of boundaries. At fifty-five she would have been ridiculous in many settings, but she had an undeniably playful, juvenile charm that made her attractive and droll and preserved her from society’s low meanness.
On a certain Friday, they had the surprise of Cousin Vincent’s arrival. They were all happy to be reunited again. Elodie was also in Paris and staying with relations of hers. Vincent wanted to present her to his mother and it was decided to organize a dinner the next evening at the sumptuous residence of Aunt Gertrude in avenue Montaigne. Bette requested permission to invite her dear friend, the Princess Bolinkova, whom she had not seen for some time. That afternoon the three friends and Bette, Princess Bolinkova, and Elodie went to take advantage of the last rays of summer in the Bois de Boulogne.
They rented a little boat and rowed out to the restaurant that faced the lake and enjoyed cups of tea and a delicious raspberry tart. They seemed to be a happy and harmonious little band. Elodie was liked by all right away. She was rosy and plump, uncomplicated and kind, and laughed easily. She seemed surprised by nothing and to enjoy everything. The Princess on the other hand was quite different. There’s no denying she was beautiful, in a catlike way, with prominent cheekbones and enormous, light, almond-shaped eyes. She was a bit odd, both captivating and disarming, but agreeable company all the same.
The young group then went down to sit closer to the shore. Vincent and Elodie amused themselves with attempts to splash each other.
“They look happy, don’t you think?” asked Bette.
“I must say she has a lot of charm,” Papyrus replied.
“Kind and a good character, that’s what a soldier needs,” added Geoffroy to tease Bette.
“The Princess has nothing to say?” asked Papyrus.
“I don’t butt into other people’s business. Besides, who can say what attracts two people. It’s a marvelously intimate matter.”
She made those remarks in a low voice while aiming her catlike eyes directly into the eyes of Papyrus. He held her stare more as a challenge than as a promise. Certainly the evening promised to be interesting.
When they had returned to the house after bringing the Princess back home, Bette said to Papyrus, “Natasha clearly likes you a lot. I’m jealous.”
“A little jealous?”
“No, jealous. Don’t think I’m going to modify my declaration with any quantifying adverb. ‘A little’ or ‘very’ would only be reductive, you know.”
“Bette, quit these games, please.”
He said that in one short breath while she retained a perky air. Geoffroy then came into the living room.
“Ah Geoffroy, I was just saying to Louis that I’m jealous of the interest that the Princess takes in him.”
“Bette, my angel, you cannot have us all to yourself. You have to share a little.”
He punctuated this admonishment with a little kiss on her pretty forehead.
It was then time to dress for dinner, so everyone returned to their rooms.
When they were reunited in the large salon, each holding the stem of a full champagne glass, Cousin Vincent announced his engagement to Elodie.
Aunt Gertrude applauded softly and threw a puzzled look in the direction of her future daughter-in-law. Was she disappointed that her only son was marrying a simple and kind young woman instead of one of those spoiled, libertine heiresses that she could have become friends with? Or was she merely thinking about the reasons for his choosing someone so far from the maternal model? Or wondering if she could ever put up with there being another woman in Vincent’s life. Whatever the cause, Gertrude remained friendly and courteous but didn’t show the overflowing affection that such circumstances would customarily elicit.
Elodie didn’t give a damn, and with cheeks on fire laughed a toothy laugh in celebration of the happiness that lay ahead. I will jump forward to say that it was the best of marriages — they loved each other tenderly their whole lives and nothing ever stained the joy they had being together. Too bad for Aunt Gertrude — she would eventually get used to the idea that her son’s pursuit of happiness had driven him to look for a woman who was totally unlike her.
During dinner, Geoffroy, who’d had a bit more to drink than some, requested everyone’s attention.
“I too have a declaration to make. I raise my glass to the most fascinating woman in the world. Oops, sorry, Elodie, but I’m not talking about you. The woman who has bewitched me is named Bette and I have asked her to marry me.”
Papyrus detested this sort of public display. He felt an unspeakable irritation toward this grandiloquent brother of his. But it was not the only reason behind his awkward smile and frozen stare. Of course everyone applauded, but Cousin Vincent, who wanted to be witty, inquired, “Yes, but what was her answer? Maybe she wants nothing to do with you!”
Bette glanced quickly at Papyrus and with a big smile responded, “Well, guess what? I accepted and soon I will have every right to call you Cousin Vincent.”
“I’m very happy to hear that, my future cousin. But I don’t know why I’ve always been ‘Cousin Vincent’ and never simply ‘Vincent.’”
“Well, it’s because you have the same name as your father, my dear,” replied Aunt Gertrude. “It was to distinguish you from him. Would you have preferred we call you ‘little Vincent’?”
“Given that he’s six-foot-three, that name wouldn’t have fit so well today,” added Geoffroy.
Everyone except Papyrus was in good spirits. The general euphoria unsettled him, but not simply because of Bette, whom he was surely fond of. Papyrus’s heart was too scarred for him to easily put up with scenes of gaiety. He found them mushy and affected. He had had moments of enchantment too, and he knew how rare and precious they were, which was probably why he did not exhibit them and instead tucked them down inside his coat like a thief.
The Princess never laughed that much and spoke in low tones — Papyrus liked that. She often gave him long looks which left no doubt in his mind that she was attracted to him.
After the dinner, Bette and Natasha sat down together away from the others.
“Bette, you must help me. I wrote to Rudolf Steiner asking to attend the Christmas conference at the Goetheanum.”
“But that’s great news! I will be there too with my dear Geoffroy. I couldn’t be happier if you’ll be there too.”
“The problem is Steiner doesn’t want me there.”
“What are you talking about? Of course he wants you. Why are you having such crazy thoughts?”
“Because he said so in a letter.”
“He wrote and told you he doesn’t want you there?”
“Of course not. You know how he’s always charming and courteous. He says there’s no more room and he can’t make any exceptions. He told me to come to the Easter conference, but that’s too late.”
“Nonsense, go at Easter! If you like I’ll go with you. Really, Christmas or Easter, what difference does it make?”
“It’s my last chance to see the Goetheanum.”
“What do you mean by that, Natasha? You’re worrying me terribly.”
“We’re going to lose the Goetheanum. At Easter it will no longer exist as you know it. And I, I’ve never seen it. The Goetheanum will burn down and there’ll be nothing left of it.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’ve had a premonition and I’m never wrong. The Goetheanum will go up in flames long before Easter.”
“And you wrote to Steiner about that?”
“Of course.”
“And what did he say?”
“He said he was not surprised. He told me that from the start of construction, Ahriman had been working against the project. He said that no sooner had the cornerstone of the building been set in place than the sky suddenly darkened, thunder claps rang out, and a furious wind kicked up. He understood this was a warning and then turned to the north, west, south, and east to announce to his disciples that this stone represented man’s soul condemned to battle and that it was necessary to find the strength to resist Ahriman at all costs.”
“Oh my dear Natasha, what you’re telling me is truly frightening.”
“Bette, help me to attend the Christmas conference, I beg you.”
“I promise to do everything I can.”
After everyone had dispersed, Papyrus and the Princess were alone together. After a moment she said, “You’re not happy to see Bette with your brother, is that right?”
“Of course I am, what are you talking about? I love Bette very much!”
She said nothing more. He got up from his seat and sat down next to her. He pulled her close and kissed her. She responded with such enthusiasm to his overture that he felt obliged to say to her, “I too will be marrying Bette’s sister-in-law.”
“I know. Aristocrats always marry within their own circle, and it’s a good thing too, really. But kiss me again.”
The Princess proved to be quite keen. Without going into details, she was tireless and Papyrus had a wonderful time with her. There’s no doubt that with my mother things were more sedate.
At Christmas Geoffroy came down with a bad case of the flu. A few days before th
ey were scheduled to leave for Dornach, he was trembling with a very high fever. Bette objected to his accompanying her.
“Not only do you risk dying on the way, but you’ll infect everyone there.”
“I don’t want you to go alone.”
“Of course I’ll go alone. Come on, Geoffroy, I’m sorry, but I’m not a child any longer.”
“No, please, at least let Louis accompany you.”
“Oh really, Geoffroy! I get along just fine with Louis, but he and anthroposophy are absolutely incompatible!”
“I’m not so sure. Really, he and I are not so different.”
“What? You’re totally different! You are kind and gentle. He is tense and volcanic.”
“Yes, well, it will do him a lot of good to be plunged in all that spirituality.”
“When you start mocking, you do resemble him, in fact.”
“Let me ask him to accompany you, please.”
To make a long story short, he ended up persuading Papyrus to accompany Bette to Dornach. He had no desire to go, but his brother made him do it.
“What’s more, that crazy Bolinkova woman finally got herself invited and she’s made some apocalyptic predictions.”
“She’s going to be there too?”
“I know, old boy, it’s really a sacrifice I’m asking of you!”
“Quit joking! Can you see me alone with those two lunatics?
“Hey, watch your mouth! One of them is going to be my wife in three months and the other one you’d fuck in a flash, admit it.”
“Fuck her? Are you fucking crazy? There in their sect’s cuckoo’s nest? That would indeed be a sacrifice you’d be asking me to make.”
The Devil's Reward Page 10
